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I've been a ninkovich apologist of sorts, but he was brutal against the ravens. He was getting popped and knocked back all game by linemen, tight ends, leach, and rice. He's always been more of a guy you would want to keep around for depth he has just been thrust into a way bigger role And has been there too long. I understand he setzz teh edgezz but he hasn't been doing too much of that, and while it wasn't just him getting neat by Baltimore he was definitely getting consistently whooped. I have always taken Nink for what he is, but even that is looking shaky now

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I really think he is a better LB than down end. He struggles to set the edge when he has to take the tackle on straight on. He was awful against Baltimore. That left end spot is a big hole to fill in to make this front 7 complete

• The salary cap for 2012 is $120.6 million; for the purpose of this study, that number is projected to remain flat next year.

• RB Brandon Bolden will be an exclusive rights free agent who is listed as having a cap figure of $485,000, although the veteran minimum is actually $490,000. TE Jake Ballard will be an exclusive rights free agent (despite being listed as a restricted free agent on Rotoworld), and the minimum contract for a player of his experience is $715,000. DT Terrell McClain is also an exclusive rights free agent, and the minimum contract for a player of his experience is $490,000. CB Sterling Moore is an exclusive rights free agent, and the minimum contract for a player of his experience is $525,000. Each of New England's exclusive rights free agents (Brandon Bolden, Jake Ballard, Terrell McClain, and Sterling Moore) is projected to return.

• DT Kyle Love is listed as having a cap figure of $1,100,000, but that number has been changed to $2,050,000 (Love signed a two-year, $3.09 million deal according to Rotoworld, and received a base salary of $540,000 in 2012 along with a $500,000 signing bonus.)

• New England's restricted free agents (TE Michael Hoomanawanui and ILB Dane Fletcher) are not projected to return because of the difficult in projecting their tender amounts. Based on 2012, the restricted free agent tenders were $2.742 million (first round), $1.927 million (second round), $1.26 million (original draft status - fifth-round compensation for Hoomanawanui, none for Fletcher, who went undrafted.) Both players would likely receive the $1.26 million low tender.

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What stood out to me was Connolly's status as the eighth highest-paid player on the team. Unfortunately, over $2 million of his cap figure is guaranteed, so there isn't a while lot to be gained by replacing him. At a glance, Steve Gregory, Matthew Slater, and Daniel Fells seem overpaid, although New England has guaranteed them all some money as well. The best way to save cap room next year without assuming dead money would probably be to cut guys like Fells ($991,000 in savings), Larsen ($750,000), Deaderick ($583,120), Hix ($480,000), and Herman ($479,166); however, even if those players all get released it's still likely that the team next year will look very similar to this year's squad. Most of New England's starters are returning and they won't have enough money to make a big splash in free agency.

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What stood out to me was Connolly's status as the eighth highest-paid player on the team. Unfortunately, over $2 million of his cap figure is guaranteed, so there isn't a while lot to be gained by replacing him. At a glance, Steve Gregory, Matthew Slater, and Daniel Fells seem overpaid, although New England has guaranteed them all some money as well. The best way to save cap room next year without assuming dead money would probably be to cut guys like Fells ($991,000 in savings), Larsen ($750,000), Deaderick ($583,120), Hix ($480,000), and Herman ($479,166); however, even if those players all get released it's still likely that the team next year will look very similar to this year's squad. Most of New England's starters are returning and they won't have enough money to make a big splash in free agency.

There are only 2 years left on Wilfork/Brady's deals respectively, and they both have high cap numbers. Signing them to 2 year or so extensions could lower the numbers for the upcoming year and give the Pats some wiggle room. I think they'd both take the security, and I'd be comfortable enough with their performance to give them those deals. The cap should jump a bit after the next TV deal, and the Pats don't have any huge contracts looming over the horizon, so I think it could be worthwhile to pursue that option. Maybe that would open up an opportunity to get a young guy like Sean Smith who could help out the defense at a position of need.

I also wouldn't cut Deaderick, he's a steal at the price we have him signed at, and unless we draft a stud DT it'll be hard to get a better value for that kind of money.

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Since we just took a look at New England's roster for next season and their salary cap figures, below is a list of some impending free agents that caught my eye. This isn't a "best of" list, just some players who I think may be decent investments. There are a few star players (Ed Reed, Greg Jennings, Dwight Freeney, etc.) but a bunch of low-risk investments as well (who doesn't like bargain hunting?) I tried to include any former Patriots as well, regardless of how likely they were to return. All former Patriots are in blue, and players expected to sign large contracts are in red.

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There are only 2 years left on Wilfork/Brady's deals respectively, and they both have high cap numbers. Signing them to 2 year or so extensions could lower the numbers for the upcoming year and give the Pats some wiggle room. I think they'd both take the security, and I'd be comfortable enough with their performance to give them those deals. The cap should jump a bit after the next TV deal, and the Pats don't have any huge contracts looming over the horizon, so I think it could be worthwhile to pursue that option. Maybe that would open up an opportunity to get a young guy like Sean Smith who could help out the defense at a position of need.

I also wouldn't cut Deaderick, he's a steal at the price we have him signed at, and unless we draft a stud DT it'll be hard to get a better value for that kind of money.

Interesting thoughts, although I'm not sure Deaderick is really very valuable. He's only played 29 snaps so far this season (although he did miss last week's game with an injury), and played very poorly in 2011 when we moved to the four-man front in the miserable Deaderick/Shaun Ellis platoon. I think he'd be a better fit somewhere else as a defensive end in a one-gap 3-4; he's a little bit undersized for the 4-3 defensive tackle spot and not explosive enough for a 4-3 end.